Glass has been used as a construction material for over more than a few centuries. Even before the advent of modern technology, when it was just a brittle material with shallow aesthetically amplified applications, there were quite a few formations for it. Now, with so much innovation in construction techniques and new ways to make things last longer, glass has become one of the prime construction materials to be used in the industry. It is not only relegated to small windows anymore, but runs the gamut of usage from full faced treatment, to glass blocks, to the newest – glass bricks. It is an efficient material to use for many purposes, but in this article, we would be discussing the pros of enjoying all the relevant benefits of using glass fireplace doors.
1. Aesthetic
From stained, to frosted and carved, there is no end to the beauty, and visual aesthetic in glass. Tempered glass comes with fewer options, but it certainly makes for a beautiful outlook. When it comes to fireplace doors, you could either go grand baroque or modern contemporary. Both come with their own set of charms, but a glass fireplace door achieves a certain graceful allure that is both chic, and austere without interfering with the actual pragmatic functionality of the fireplace itself. With a glass fireplace door, you can have an uninterrupted view of the roaring fire inside the fireplace, and the psychological satisfaction of viewing a burning embers on a cold night.
2. Safety
Have any kids around your home? Well, if you do, then it must be a constant hassle to keep your toddlers away from the fire during those winter months. The magnificent beauty of the fireplace is watching the fire lick at heights within the constraint of your fireplace. With a glass fireplace door, you can enjoy that view, and add a factor of safety to the mix. Tempered glass can handle a fire hotter up to more than a few degrees than any regular glass, and would act as the perfect shielded between the fire and a clumsy or curious toddler.
3. Downdrafts
Down drafting is one of the most common drawbacks of having a fireplace. When the wind is howling, and raging outside, it tends to take charge down the chimney and blow over an entire layer of dormant embers, ashes, and dust. Now you can avoid that fate with installing a fireplace door. This way, you wouldn’t have to worry about that downward gust of wind wreaking an industrial sized havoc on your living area.
4. Efficient Heating – The Glass House Effect
The statistics speak for themselves when it comes to relegating appropriate portions of heat to any enclosed living space via a fireplace. It is a well known fact that almost eighty percent of the heat that is emitted through a fireplace is carried up and away through the chimney. Only twenty percent of it actually stays in the space that is supposed to heat. With a glass fireplace door, you could definitely count on a more efficient heating system. Ever heard of the glass house effect? It is where the heat of the sun is trapped inside a glass house and radiated accordingly. A similar application could be carried out through a glass fireplace door. The heat of the fire would get trapped inside the doors, and radiated around the room two fold, so that you would have double the heat energy to keep you warm.
5. Reduced Heating Costs
Chimney dampers are not an efficient product when it comes to trapping heat inside your home. It is common knowledge that most of the heat trapped inside an enclosed space would drift to higher altitudes to let the cooler air settle in – as cold air is heavier in chemistry. Similarly, the hot air would travel out of the chimney with the damper acting as a flimsy barrier. The glass fireplace door would act as a good insulator in this case – not only would it trap the heat inside, but won’t let any of the cooler air to penetrate your home either.
6. Barrier against smoke
If you have one of those old fashioned fireplaces that emit smoke when the fire burns, then the glass fireplace door is a must have for you. Not only would it keep the smoke at bay, but it would also provide an aesthetic that would be otherwise compromised. Even in modern fireplaces, a forceful downdraft can send a plume of smoke in your living space, and the glass fireplace door would act as an effective barrier against it.
7. Visibility
Keeping the element of transparency between yourself, and a roaring fire in the dead of winter is a psychological need that needs to be accomplished. With a glass fireplace door, you can have the satisfaction of actually seeing the fire, just with a transparent barrier that provides all the trappings of a well carried out plan.
